Worn Out Friend - Ralph

 Worn Out Friend

Ralph Heim

I’ve been around this home 30 years,

as long as their marriage, almost.

My entire body is now fringed around the border,

shredded limbs dangling from being slowly worn down

Like I was an old pair of jeans, ripped at the bottom.

Then there is the damn places on the top of my head!

Worn down from all their shivering 

Over the thickest part of me 

Now, my body’s pocked down like hard pan 

I don’t heal anymore from their grinding.  

As for them, I’ve covered their ass more times than I care to remember,

Yes, I’ve been in their hair, wrapped around their hearts, 

Yet they’ve walked all over me at times,

And pressed me to cover their messes.

They don’t even let me out of my small room anymore,

when they’ve got company.

They’re the only ones that know I’m alive.

Deep down, I fear they are ashamed of me.

But when they want my comfort and familiarity,

they let me out of my spot.

Suddenly I might just be the reason

that they sing a little louder in the bath

while I’m tossed over the top

of their glassed in showers.